Date and Switch
by Mrs. Cope
Summary: Bella didn't think she had a chance for happiness on the blind date, until she sat down at the wrong table. Now, all she had to do was to figure out how to get back to the table where Mr. Right was waiting.


_Well, my friends, here's another little one-shot inspired by true life. I have a big shout out to my two betas, Mr. Bigg and Fixed in Forks, both of whom kept me on track and moving forward. You two rock, and rock hard, if you know what I mean. And for all of you Jacob lovers out there, I apologize up front. Remember, ask Jake himself once said to Bella, it's just a scary story. _

_All characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No disrespect or copyright infringement is intended._

**Date and Switch**

She approached the podium with her stomach in knots. The bus ride had left her anxious and nervous. How many blind dates would it take to find Mr. Right? So far, she'd met Mr. Bland, Mr. Creepy and Mr. Hands, and was ready to give up. When would she find her dream?

"Uh, excuse me. I'm supposed to be meeting someone?" she told the host. He looked up at her, taking a quick inventory of her appearance. A flash of something like pity or remorse crossed his face.

"Right this way, ma'am," he said, dismissing her even as he led her to the table.

She felt her heart leap as she peered around the host. At the table ahead sat a beautiful man with the most unusual shade of reddish bronze hair. His eyes were large and expressive, his mouth rugged and yet, soft somehow.

As the host led her in, the man looked up. He took in the host, then his eyes shifted to the small woman behind. His mouth opened, as if in surprise or greeting.

She felt her heart lurch as she watched his mouth. Maybe tonight would be different.

"Watch your step here, ma'am," the host said, pointing with two fingers to the yellow tape curling on the carpet covering the step.

She unwillingly broke her gaze away from the beautiful man to the step, focusing all her will on staying upright. _Classy,_ she thought as she successfully lifted herself up over the taped step.

She was almost to the table now, her breath growing more shallow with each advancing footstep. The beautiful man was still watching her, his eyes hungry and hopeful. As she approached the booth where he sat, she paused, smiling at the bronze-haired man.

"Here you go," the host said, holding out his arm. Bella wasn't really watching; she slid into the booth and continued to stare at the man, who seemed to stare back at her.

"Hi, um, I'm Bella," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat. She was excited and nervous, and at the same time, filled with a sense of safety and comfort, something she almost never felt.

"_**Hello,"**_ the beautiful man said, his voice soft and warm. _**"I'm –"**_

The host was immediately at her elbow, pulling her from the booth. "Oh no, ma'am, _this_ table," he said, ushering her away from the beautiful, unnamed man and all but shoving her into the next booth. "Here you are," he said, handing her a menu. "Your waiter will be right with you." He turned his back to her and said "More water, sir, or are you ready for a glass of wine, perhaps?"

Bella looked up immediately. Seated across from her was an olive-skinned, dark haired man, smiling broadly at her.

"Hello, there, milady," he said in a false basso profundo, "I'm Jacob Black, and you get the pleasure of my company tonight." He turned to the host. "Two glasses of your house red." Still holding up two fingers, he turned to Bella and let his fingers fall into a point. "You _do_ like red, don't you?" His pointed fingers rejoined the others to dismiss the waiter with a wave of his hand. "All my dates drink red, or they drink nothing at all," he said, his eyes leering beneath raised eyebrows. "So, you must be…"

He let the sentence trail off, waiting for her to fill in the blank. "Bella," she said, her voice small and timid. "Bella Swa-"

"Well, Bella, you're probably wondering why someone as handsome and muscular as myself is still single and on a blind date. It's a long, sad story."

Bella's teeth bit into the side of cheek as she tried to focus on what he was saying. She could feel her attention pulling her through the booth, back to the table behind her where the beautiful man still sat. She smiled weakly at her date.

"I was married once, you should know that right up front. I was an exceptional husband, tried to give her everything. But what I didn't know is that she planned to _take_ everything," Jacob went on, his voice loud and grating. "I won't say bad things about her, but I will say this: she gives female dogs a bad name, if you know what I mean."

"How long were you – "

"I don't hold it against women, they can't help it," he went on. Bella slumped in her seat. It was clear this was Mr. All-About-Me, another night wasted. She tried to shrink into the vinyl of the booth as heads turned, giving dirty looks to the incredibly loud annoyance. "Women have their times of the month, I know that, but she, well, let's just say she had it in reverse; she was only pleasant one or two days a month. Even my mother, saint that she is, didn't like her. Mama said the day my ex-monster came to live with us, 'That girl is no good.'"

"_**And no one's ever going to be good enough for him,"**_ a musical voice said from behind her. She shot bolt upright in astonishment. She knew that voice; it was the beautiful man who was directly behind her. Her face was stunned into a mask of surprise, her eyes wide and the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. _**"Not even someone was as lovely and vivacious as you."**_

Bella blinked and tried to swallow the excitement that stole her breath. "Well, Mama was right. She always is. When I was a little boy, she said 'Jacob,' she said, 'You're going to go far.' She was right about that, too. I mean, look at me! I'm a self-made man. I started at the bottom, washing cars at Victory Volkswagen, and now I'm a consultant for auto repairs. If all goes as scheduled, I'll be promoted next month to _head_ consultant, and then we'll see what's what. Yeah, I'm a catch, but I'm willing to take a chance tonight with you."

"_**Chance my ass. He's lucky to even see you, if he's seeing you at all,"**_ the voice cooed_**. "If I were at your table, I'd know I was the luckiest man in the world. We wouldn't waste time with words; they wouldn't be necessary. You'd see the light in my eyes."**_

"There's been many a young lady waiting for my attention, many a young lady. There are some that are just after a pretty face, others after my status and wealth. I don't want to brag, but once they hear about who I am and what I do, women are all over me. I know it's a lot to take in all at once, isn't it?

She was straining, waiting to hear that voice again, her body pitched back against the seat. After a brief pause, she realized Jacob was waiting for her to respond. She tuned back into his one-sided conversation.

"Your profile said you were interested in the finer things in life," she said, trying to appear as if she'd been listening. Jacob's brow furrowed, and he looked down.

"Well, that's true," he said lowly.

"Here's your wine, sir," the host appeared with two glasses of red wine, and set them on the table. "Your waiter will be right over."

"Oh, there's no rush, my good man. We're just getting to know each other, isn't that right… uh…?"

"Bella," she said softly. It was hard to refrain from rolling her eyes.

"Sure, sure. _Bella_ and I are just getting to know each other. No rush, no rush at all," Jacob said, shooing the host away. The host did not have the same restraint as Bella. She saw him roll his eyes as he turned on his heel and walked away. "Drink up, my lady fair!" Jacob lifted his glass in encouragement.

The last thing she felt like doing was drinking with this buffoon. Maybe the drink would make the night less painful, but she didn't want her judgment impaired with cheap wine. Who took a blind date to a twenty-four hour diner, anyway? She picked up her glass and brought it to her lips, pretending to take a sip.

"A toast!" he shouted, starting in that impossibly bass tone and ending in his natural speaking voice, several notes higher. "To a night of getting to know each other!" He lifted his glass across the table, so that it was almost touching hers, which was still at her lips. People were watching now, alerted by Jacob's bark.

"_**He means a night of getting to know him, which means a night of suffering for the rest of us."**_ The silken voice was back, and she almost spat out her wine in response. _**"You're worth so much more than this, Bella. Mmm… you smell so good."**_ Her heart raced, imagining him close enough to smell her, his face close to hers.

"So, little lady, what fills _your_ days?" Jacob bellowed.

"_**He's forgotten your name already, Bella. Unforgivable."**_ She was listening to the voice behind her, pre-occupied with his tone and warmth, the nearness of him, immediate enough to touch. _**"If you were mine, sweet Bella, your every breath would define my world." **_She inhaled deeply, letting her eyes slide close in the fantasy. She wished he had said his name, so she could put it with the voice. _**"You would never forget how beautiful you are, and never be alone."**_ She thought about his face, imagining the words issued from that impossibly beautiful mouth, his deep emerald eyes watching her…

"Uh, excuse me…" Her eyes popped open. A fist appeared before her and snapped twice. She jumped in response. "Earth to little lady, come in please." His booming voice was drenched in annoyance. "You going to be joining the conversation anytime soon?"

"Oh!" Bella blushed, and batted her eyelashes several times, trying to come back to the problem at hand. "I… I work for a music clearing house as a researcher, clearing title and contracts – "

"Sounds… _fas_cinating," Jacob said in a monotone, pretending to yawn.

Bella flushed. No one had to tell her how boring her work was; she had to do it everyday. "It's really just to make ends meet until –"

"Yes, yes, very fascinating. Are you familiar with the golf course over by Floral Park?"

"Well, my dad-"

"Mama and I golf there every Saturday. We plan to join the club there any time now, as soon as they have an opening. Perhaps you'd like to join us. For golf, I mean, of course."

She began to speak before she realized it wasn't a question. "I really don't-"

"It's very exclusive."

"_**They only let in first class idiots, so he'll be waiting a while."**_ Bella could hear the smirk on the beautiful man's face, and smiled in response.

"Of course, I'm not sure they'd let you in, you know, unless you were with me. I could vouch for you, which would probably be required. It's really a prestige organization, but they know me there. The guys know what I do, what I'm capable of. They all marvel at the charity work I do. Why, last year alone, I gave _twenty dollars_ to their Christmas charity fundraiser for the derelicts. Don't let me dazzle you. It's a lot of money, I know. I had to go without my usual morning latte and bagel for four whole days. But it's worth it to help those who haven't done as well as me, you know, be generous and all that. It really impresses them at the club, so I'm sure I could get you in for a few holes of golf. What did you say you do again?"

"_**Don't bother telling him, he won't hear you."**_ She bit her lip, knowing the voice was right. _**"I can't wait to hear the dreams you're saving for, Bella."**_ Her heart began to race again; no one had ever asked her about her dreams. It had been such an empty period in her life, waiting for someone to care, someone who wanted to know her, to be with her. _**"I want to be a part of your dreams, just as you will be a part of mine from this day forward."**_

"Something to do with paper?" Jacob prompted.

"Uh, yes," she replied, "I hang wallpaper."

"_**You deserve so much more than this dog can offer you,"**_ he murmured closer to her ear now. She felt a shiver run down her spine as his breath warmed her ear.

"Sure, sure. Right. As I was saying…" Jacob's voice sounded on, but it was her turn to stop listening.

_**You should be adored and worshipped,"**_ the voice whispered on. His were the only words she wanted to hear, his face the only one she wanted to see.

"… and Mama always says," Jacob bellowed on.

"_**I know I'm being forward; I know you don't know me. But I saw your face and I knew. I want nothing more in this world than to know you, Bella. To hear your voice, to taste your lips, to hold you in my arms and tell you everything…"**_

"Will you excuse me?" Bella began sliding out of the booth, dragging her purse along with her. She could hear a rustle behind her, the sound of someone leaving. "I'm sorry, I just need to use the ladies room for a second."

"Well, fine, but it's quite rude to interrupt. You'll have to work on that if you plan to be with me." Jacob's face was dark and scowling as Bella stood. He shook his head slowly. "Mama would never stand for that."

As she turned, she saw the booth behind her was empty, and her heart clenched and fell. She almost tripped over the curling tape on the carpeted step in her hurry to make it to the front door to find him, and beg him not to leave. She searched the lobby, scanning for a glimpse of the beautiful man, but he was nowhere to be seen. She opened the front door, and peered into the parking lot, but nothing moved or provided a clue about where he could be. She inhaled deeply, disappointment settling in her chest. She stepped backward into the diner, letting the door close in her face. As she turned back into the restaurant, she felt her distress splash off her lashes to her cheek.

She stepped down the corridor to the restrooms, looking for a private place to repair the damage of her disillusionment. Only moments prior, she felt hope and happiness were within reach, and now, now she was alone again, at dinner with another mistake to add to her miserable life of failures. The tears began to fall in earnest as she reached the end of the hallway. It turned in a sharp L, creating a small vestibule separating the men and women's rooms. She followed the curve around.

"_**Bella?"**_ Her head jerked up in surprise. The beautiful man stood waiting in the hallway, concern paining his features. He reached for her, touching her. _**"What happened? Are you all right?" **_He pulled her into his arms.

Her breathing shuddered as relief released the dam of tears she'd been holding back. "I thought you had gone, and I'd never see you again!" she cried as her arms shot around his back. The tears and relief and desire and fear all came out in a rush, taking away her logic and sense. "I wanted to hold you and to touch you and to know –"

His kiss cut off the end of her sentence. For the first time since she'd entered the diner, she didn't mind the interruption. His kiss seared through her mouth, sending an electric jolt down her nerves and clenching the muscles deep in her belly. She pressed herself to his mouth, standing on her tiptoes to get closer. She was dizzy and happy and warm and safe. She realized she wasn't breathing and fell back to her heels, sliding down his body in his arms.

"_**What did you want to know, Bella?"**_ His eyes searched hers, scorching and hungry.

"Your name?" She panted, unable to control her breathing.

"_**Edward," **_he breathed, and pulled her into a kiss as he tightened his grip around her. She was lost in his kiss, feeling herself falling, her feet off the floor. It took her a moment to realize he'd lifted her from the hallway, and pulled her into the men's bathroom. He broke the embrace only long enough to catch a breath, then bent to brush his lips along her jaw and neck, a low hum of pleasure rumbling beneath his lips.

"_Edward,"_ Bella breathed in pleasure. She opened her eyes, finding herself in a stall, locked in his embrace. Panic raced through her as she realized she didn't know this man, this incredibly beautiful man whose mouth and teeth were buried in her neck. As he bit down on the curve of her shoulder, her eyes rolled closed, no longer caring where or who she was.

"_**My God, Bella, you feel so good,"**_ he breathed as his breath dusted along her neck. His mouth was at her ear. _**"I've never been so overwhelmed in my life, sweet, sweet Bella."**_ His mouth planted over hers, his kisses urgent and needy, moving over her cheek and forehead. His arms continued to lift her, pressing her against the stall, his hands knotted in her hair.

"You must think, ungh, you must think… I'm… awful…" she panted, unable to catch her breath or stop pressing herself flat against him. "I … Never… Oh…" She knew she wasn't making sense.

"_**You could never be anything but sweet,"**_ he breathed into her ear_**. "Your voice,"**_ he kissed her neck. _**"Your smell,"**_ he whispered, kissing her collarbone. _**"Your taste,"**_ he sighed, his mouth locking over hers once again. _**"Bella, I want to taste all of you."**_

He pulled back, locking his eyes on hers. _**"I've never wanted to taste anyone so much,"**_ he whispered, his breath coming in small pants. _**"I've never wanted anyone to taste me as much as I do in this moment."**_ She sucked in her breath, realizing how badly she wanted to taste him as well. _**"Bella, taste me. Tell me you'll taste me."**_

She flung her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to his face and wrapping her legs around his waist. She'd never wanted anything so much in her life. His words set her afire, and his words made her insane. She knotted her hands into his hair and pressed her tongue into his mouth. His breath was honey-sweet, warm and delicious, curling on her tongue and filling her with the desire for more.

He pressed against her, and she felt his erection through her jeans. The suddenness of it made her gasp, momentarily breaking their embrace. He looked into her eyes for a moment before his brow furrowed in anguish. _**"Forgive me,"**_ he said, hiding his face in her hair. _**"I'm quite incapable of hiding my need for you,"**_ he breathed into her ear. _**"I know it's wrong."**_ His body pulled slightly away from her, and she felt as if her heart would break.

"No, please," she said, struggling to bring her face back to his. "I've never done anything like this either. But I want this. I want you," she said, pulling him closer to her mouth.

His hand slid up her blouse, underneath her bra, covering her breast with his palm. His low moan matched hers as she struggled to remove her clothing. Once free, his mouth found her free nipple, sucking it between his lips and tonguing the pebbled skin.

"_Edward,"_ Bella breathed again, sighing with the touch of his tongue. "That feels incredible."

"_**Oh, Bella,"**_ his breath flowing into her open waiting mouth, as they resumed their hungry embrace. His hips ground into her, and she wrapped her legs more tightly around him, lost in ecstasy. _**"I want more of you. I want more,"**_ his breath cooling where his tongue had burned.

He slowly lowered her feet to the floor, his trembling hands unbuckling his jeans. She mimicked him, unzipping her jeans and pulling her wet panties off one leg. His cock sprang free, fully erect and rampant. _**"You're perfect,"**_ he sighed, his eyes taking in her naked body. She reached to undo his shirt, her fingers fumbling with the buttons.

Her hand reached forward and stroked his cock. He inhaled through his mouth, his head flung back in rapture with her soft strokes. She watched his face for a moment, enraptured with his pleasure. She looked down, realizing that her height placed her mouth close to the head of his shaft. She bent toward him, letting the breath of her words titillate the tip of his member. "I want to taste you, too, Edward," she breathed, and pushed his cock down her throat.

"_**Oh my God,"**_ he moaned as her head bobbed at his crotch. _**"Oh my God, Bella. Oh…"**_ He couldn't complete the sentence; the intensity of the soft sucking on his sex robbed him of his coherency. _**"Jesus!"**_

He felt the tightness in his belly, and knew he wouldn't last if she continued. _**"Bella," **_he sighed, lifting her by her arms. Her mouth pulled off his shaft in a slurp, and she looked into his eyes. He continued to lift her until they were face to face. He pressed his mouth forward, his tongue plunging into her mouth. She moaned, sweet and low, and pulled her legs around his waist once more.

His swollen member rubbed against her clit as his hands slid to her ass. "Edward, please, please be inside me. Please, Edward," she sighed into his mouth, never ceasing the friction against her blood-inflamed sex. "Please," she begged again, need dripping in her voice.

He stooped to a squat, and shifted onto the toilet, Bella facing him. _**"Moment,**_**"** he breathed, his mouth still on hers, his hands fumbling with his pants. She pressed her body closer as he brought his hands forward. Pulling away, he looked down. Bella watched as he ripped the foil packet and eased the rubber down his large, erect shaft. He lifted his eyes to her face as his hands finished the job. _**"Are you sure?"**_ he murmured, his eyes searching hers, testing.

"Yes, yes," she breathed, her head falling back. She lifted herself with her feet against the back of the stall, his hands once again cupping her ass. He positioned her over his straining member, slowly pushing into her sex.

"_**Good God,"**_ he moaned, as she wriggled down onto him. Her little gasps of pleasure sent waves of need down each nerve and through his shaft.

She wanted to cry out in pleasure as his member filled every needy inch within her. His hands kneaded her ass, as his head bent to suckle her breast. She mused distantly that she should be afraid, worried, careful, but the ecstasy of his throbbing rod inside her forced the reasons for caution from her mind. His fingers inched toward her anus, and she inhaled deeply. She pushed herself up his penis, then dropped herself down with small whimper of pleasure.

As she cried out, the door opened and flapped closed as someone entered the room. Edward cupped his hand over her mouth, looking into her eyes, commanding silence and holding her still.

"You okay in there, buddy?" The booming voice was unmistakable.

Bella was seized with nearly uncontrollable hysteria. Her senses were blazing, aroused beyond rationality at Edward's touch. The barking man standing in the same room made her want to squirm with sickness. She wrestled with her nerves, Edward's hand still covering her mouth. His eyes burned deeply into hers, his mouth open, panting. Slowly, he slid his hand away, never breaking eye contact with her. His lips brushed hers gently, then again more strongly, finally resuming his embrace with more force. The gnawing sickness in her belly melted away into wild abandon as she sucked his tongue into her mouth.

"Buddy?" The voice was coming nearer to the stall, curious and intrusive.

"_**Yeah, fine,"**_ Edward mimicked the false profundity of the voice. The side of his mouth curved up in a lopsided grin, magnifying his beauty and sending a wave of desire through Bella. She clenched the walls of her sex around him, squeezing and releasing without moving. His breath leaked out in a hiss.

Footfall returned to the urinal. "Yeah, my night's been the shits, too. My date walked out, right in the middle of our conversation," he said, piss slapping against the porcelain. "Too damn bad about these stupid bitches," his pants zipping up. "Don't recognize a good thing when they see one." The water ran for a moment, then quiet returned. His voice sounded again, with the strain of someone examining themselves in the mirror. "Her loss, really." His hands slapped his pants, as he pulled open the door and exited.

Edward remained motionless as Bella looked into his eyes. _**"You're wicked,"**_ he uttered soft and low as he bent to kiss her. His tongue rimmed her lips, his mouth moving from her jaw to her ear. _**"I think I love you,"**_ he breathed into her ear. She flexed her muscles around him again, and he pushed his hard shaft up into her. She let out a long, deep moan, as his hand dropped to her sex. Her circled her clit with his thumb as he pumped deep, deeper inside her.

Bella felt the muscles in her abdomen clench heralding her orgasm. Edward felt his balls tighten in anticipation. _**"Bella, I'm so close,"**_ he said through gritted teeth.

The words rippled a thrill through her, pushing her over the edge. "Oh God!" she cried, unconcerned that anyone could hear. The force of her clenching orgasm shook through Edward, his grunting orgasm erupting wildly.

They sat for a moment simply panting, limbs wrapped in a tangle of exhaustion. Finally, Edward lifted his head off Bella's shoulder, his hand pulling her chin to face him. Her face burned with embarrassment and she couldn't look at him. Her clothes barely clung to her, her pants around one foot and her blouse all but in tatters. She waited for a long moment before raising her eyes to look at him.

"_**Amazing. You are amazing,"**_ His eyes bore into hers, unflinching and warm. She watched his face, waiting for the dismissal, the inevitable rejection that was sure to come. _**"Tell me what you're thinking,"**_ he said, his voice curious and unsure.

"Um," she started, afraid to be honest, but incapable of holding back. "I'm thinking you probably want to go now." _Might as well get it over with,_ she thought bitterly.

"_**You're right,"**_ he said, watching her. Her heart dropped, shooting pain of rejection down her arms to root underneath her fingernails. _**"I do want to leave…"**_ She gulped, steeling herself_**. "…With you."**_

Surprise crossed her face for the second time that night. "With me?" Her eyes were wide with hope, her voice small with fear.

"_**Yes, Bella, with you,"**_ he said, chuckling. _**"Do you think I'd do this with just anyone, then simply walk away? I'm no stupid bitch. I know a good thing when I see it."**_ He pulled her chin towards him, rewarding her with a short, sweet kiss.

He motioned to her, giving her the all clear to move down the hall. She tiptoed forward, even though she knew Jacob couldn't hear her. Edward's hand caught hers, and she watched as he brought it to his lips_**. "Come on, good thing. Let's go home."**_ He opened the door to the diner and pulled her out towards a shiny, silver Volvo. _**"By the way, where is home?"**_ he smiled a lopsided grin, reminding her of their heated erotic encounter.

"Um, near downtown?" He opened the door and motioned her in. She slid onto the seat.

"_**You show me," **_he said, and leaned down to kiss her lightly. Her door closed, and the driver door opened almost immediately thereafter. He slid into the seat, turned on the ignition, and backed out of the space. _**"Bella?"**_

"Yes, Mr. Dreamy?"

"_**We have so many dreams to share, why don't you go first?"**_


End file.
